Archived Can they really fire for this??

[TeamMemberCashier]

Alright, after reading through a few rants, here's mine...

Except for a few 12 hours/week occasions, I loved my cashier job. I showed up, I worked hard, I handled stress well, was happy enjoyed the customers and, by golly , was one of the fastest cashiers at my store. Over my two years in the cashier position, my store began with encouraging customers to apply and save, to seeking a conversion goal of 1.25%, to meeting a conversion goal of 3.5% or subsequent coaching and disciplinary action would take place. Let me say that while I did ask and communicate the benefits of the Red Card (and made sure my supervisors saw it), I think the Red Card push is one of the worst things to happen to a good retail company, for two main reasons.

1) As a customer, I take this sort of push/upselling technique as slightly annoying, and sometimes rude. As Carl's Junior is requiring its cashiers to upsell before allowing the customer to return a "Hi." I think it is definitely worth it to apply for a Red Card (at least the debit). But I think it's unfair and unprofessional to push customers to apply right up there at the cashier register. At least have a separate area (maybe open one or two registers) just for card applications.

2) As an employee, requiring cashiers to meet a quota they have no control over or be subjected to a not entirely private chew-out session and threatened with "disciplinary action" and in some cases, provoked to tears, is bullying. Simply bullying. I don't care how good a salesman you are or aren't. This was an added responsibility (not in my original job description), so at least --AT LEAST people!-- let your good cashiers who are struggling to sell your Red Cards have the option to move to another department. Not promoted, no higher pay. Just give them the option to move. Don't make your new unreasonable goal a requirement to move! I requested this on more than one occasion and was denied. The last month of my job, after two weeks of no new Red Card applicants, I requested again, but denied.

I quit soon after, for these reasons. I suspect now they wouldn't have fired me (unemployment benefits) or they would have tried hard to avoid it, but they certainly pushed chew-out sessions until I either attained their goal or cracked. I cracked. :-/

I hope they soon get the hint. My prayers for those who are striving, hard workers.


So kids, lesson! Learn a trade, do something worthwhile in college, get a good, secure job! Target, McDonald's, Starbucks, these can be good transitional jobs. Listen to your parents. There are far less of these issues to deal with in the professional world. In the words of Adam Carolla, "Minimum-wage jobs are the ones you’re supposed to have in high school and you’re supposed to pass through them. The idea is — I worked at McDonald’s when I was 16. The whole idea isn’t let’s make Adam Carolla comfortable working at McDonald’s. I was like, ‘I’m getting $2.43 a hour. This place sucks a@@. I want out of here as fast as I can possibly do it."

Truth.

 

[ReadorDie]

That is technically illegal. I would be calling the hotline if that happens.

 

[Rock Lobster]

I work in electronics and lately our STL is really riding everyone including the front end on red cards. I ask everyone and somedays are better than others. Especially now with it being slow and not many people coming in etc,etc..... Anyways there was a huge discussion among co-workers ( totally true) in the breakroom tonight and if you do not meet the requirements of getting a certain amount of redcards per week it will lead to I guess coaching and eventually firing. The thing that blows my mind is getting redcards is not in handbook so why would they fire someone over that especially when it's totally wrong or would they make up some lame Target rule saying well they were not meeting standards or something like that to protect themselves??

They are bull shi**ing you. Never ever - not even once - have I ever seen anyone get fired for red cards. Never have I seen anyone get anything more than a coaching for red cards, and even that is rare.

Now, I have seen lots of threats and insinuations people would get written up/fired.... but that's all it is.... Threats and insinuations designed to get results. Basically it is a tactic bad management uses because they don't know how else to motivate people.

No they are not bluffing on this. While it is an annoying process it is doable to performance someone out for red cards. However the method is extremely fair and when I do have to go through this process I always feel that it was fair and deserved. We cannot just coach people for not getting red cards or having a poor conversion. There has to be some tangible behavior that causes it that is observed coached and documented. I have two TMs with terrible conversion scores right now... One is asking every guest but is very nice and old and the guests have an easy time talking over her... But she is participating and therefore is not getting performanced out... The other TM is just not asking at all and I observe this all the time... This TM is on final warning for performance and will get termed if it continues...

 

[TargetTeam]

I still say they cannot " fire" you over redcards because it isn't in the handbook they would probably say something along the lines like team member wasn't performing well etc etc but they wouldn't actually use the word fired over red cards.

 

[stupid rules]

Of course they will not say "you're fired because you didn't get a redcard", that's ignorant to think that. It would be be phrased in terms that show you are not meeting the minimal expectations of your position, the redcard statement would be used as 1 example. Like it or not, getting redcards is required.

 

[Chrissys mom]

I hate how they push us with this...I've been sworn at by someone I pitched it to...and that's happened multiple times. People seem to not understand that it's part of our core job responsibilities or some other wording of it that we get "reminded" ALL THE TIME! If the guests that swear at us for pitching it had to be in our shoes, they'd probably crack under the pressure we get. And it's so hard for me to even pitch it anymore because it's not as great as it seems, because if you make ONE mistake with is, you're screwed. I have the Debit, and I got screwed. Checked my account, it seemed as if I had the money from my last purchase taken out, when in reality I hadn't, so I made a few more purchases, so now I owe Target because of the fees they charge, I owe my bank, they charge fees, AND I owe Discover money because when I put in money in my account to pay it, the Target Debit ate up that money, so I got a returned check for discover. So now I have to pay my bank, Target, AND Discover. So when I go to pitch the debit, I don't have any passion for it because I know how bad it can screw you. Haven't gotten one in quite a while because of this. I'm SO screwed. Thanks for listening to me vent, I now return you to your previously scheduled programming.:excited:

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

I am sticking with the credit card...

 

[3LetterDevil]

I'm waiting for them to start hounding us back in pharmacy to hawk them more....as if asking about RxRewards, pushing surveys, text messaging, and getting the basics of their meds across wasn't enough, let's just add something else to the mix and triple the time of every transaction!!! If we get prompted, we ask about them, but other than that, we usually don't because we have enough other crap to talk about!

 

[OyeShopgirl]

Things are getting pretty hectic at my store with the pressure to convert all the time-I don't know if there have been any corrective actions but there have been a lot of conversations. They no longer really seem to care if you are asking every guest, or how you are approaching them, for the most part. All they want is results.

FWIW, I can be oK with getting people to do the Redcards as one of my core roles, however, I think it's a bit out of hand that it seems to be the cashier's NUMBER ONE CORE ROLE now, and basically their ONLY CORE ROLE.

And it is completely true that a job as a cashier at Spot is not the most challenging or inherently difficult job around; it's not rocket science, it's not brain surgery, insert your favorite cliche here. No one is saving lives or moving mountains, it's not exactly backbreaking, although one does risk the occasional run-in with the likes of Katt Williams or Britney Spears. Cashiering at Spot-and at most retail and restaurant chains for that matter-has become incredibly automated and, uh...hm...I guess the diplomatic way to say it would be simplified, in many ways.

That said, I think it's kind of sad, and ultimately to the team's, the store's, and the guests' detriment, when it seems like it doesn't matter if you keep your front end neat and clean ("brand"), zone your little heart out even when tantrum-throwing toddlers are slinging toys directly at you, are great with your guests, respectful of your leadership, "FFF", all that good stuff, and it...just. Doesn't. Matter. Unless you got three conversions today!!!

 

[Emberlet]

I've been with Target for almost two months, and today I was spoken to about this not so subtly at my register...I haven't sold one in about a week, and immediately getting the idea that the red card deal is really important after working there for a week or so, I can't say I kind of didn't see this coming...

I ask almost everyone--usually not the people who appear to be in a hurry, out of politeness (on the phone, dealing with their kids)--about the red card, but most decline once they hear the word credit card--I mention the debit card as well, of course, and all of the benefits (If I'm not stopped before that point) but it never really seems to matter which way you present them...People usually decline, (politely or not) for whatever reason, whether they've lost it, they already have one or they simply are choosing to use another card on that day. And at that point, all you can really do is say, "I understand," or, "Okay," and that's that. Now, I really like this job and I'd like to keep it. Everyone's really nice and helpful at my store, and I feel really confident in my job, but if I end up being let go for this sort of thing...

Ugh, I don't know what I'm going to do.

 

[kingpin003]

most decline once they hear the word credit card--I mention the debit card as well, of course, and all of the benefits (If I'm not stopped before that point) but it never really seems to matter which way you present them...

I never recommend the credit card because it has such a negative connotation to people. Partner with your TL and work on scripting for your offer. They were more than likely a successful cashier who knows how to phrase it to be convincing. When I back up, I always try to position it as a benefit to the guest:

"Just wanted to let you know you would save an additional $X today by using a RedCard. It's a debit card that links to your current checking account..."

If they have kids, mention the 1% we donate to schools because most are unaware of that as well. Or if someone is paying with one, try pointing out how much they've saved this year in hopes the next people in line will realize how much that 5% starts to add up. I'm not a GSTL- never been a cashier- so I don't deal with it often, but definitely reach out to your TL. They are there to help.

 

[OyeShopgirl]

Yeah, definitely emphasize it as a DEBIT card-of course there will still be people who will be interested in the credit card, but they are fewer and farther between than in times gone by.

Of course then there's the whole matter of whether or not they have their checkbook with them...

And then you will get the occasional one who is all up for it and then realizes they're not carrying their ID/Driver's License/Passport with them. :/

 

[pfreshdude]

Yeah, definitely emphasize it as a DEBIT card-of course there will still be people who will be interested in the credit card, but they are fewer and farther between than in times gone by.

Of course then there's the whole matter of whether or not they have their checkbook with them...

And then you will get the occasional one who is all up for it and then realizes they're not carrying their ID/Driver's License/Passport with them. :/

hmmm...maybe our store was a pilot store but they rolled out something recently where you could fill out the rest of the app at home without a check I thought. Of course I thought I overheard today that is going away so who really knows.

Also defin talk up the Debit card as opposed to the Credit. You can always mention there is the credit option as well.

 

[mrknownothing]

Yeah, definitely emphasize it as a DEBIT card-of course there will still be people who will be interested in the credit card, but they are fewer and farther between than in times gone by.

Of course then there's the whole matter of whether or not they have their checkbook with them...

And then you will get the occasional one who is all up for it and then realizes they're not carrying their ID/Driver's License/Passport with them. :/

hmmm...maybe our store was a pilot store but they rolled out something recently where you could fill out the rest of the app at home without a check I thought. Of course I thought I overheard today that is going away so who really knows.

Also defin talk up the Debit card as opposed to the Credit. You can always mention there is the credit option as well.

I remember that pilot being mentioned here a few times, but it seems like nothing came of it.

 

[OyeShopgirl]

Well, it would be nice if they would figure SOMETHING out...

Like I said, as for myself, I don't mind suggesting it, recommending it, talking it up...explaining the benefits...

But when otherwise very good, hardworking, professional cashiers are made to feel as if their livelihoods are on the line over something like that ( not that Spot owes me or really anyone a living just for being there, y'know, all that ), I feel like things are a tad out of hand.

Sure would be nice if they could figure out a way to do it without the check, but apparently that's not really viable.